This is totally wrong. We are the one who respect, honor, and recognize women the most.
Women are not commodities to be fought over. We help them to get the care, love, and attention they deserve. This is not off putting or weird.
Animated women or not, some of them are the most amazing, sweet, caring, loving, and adorable people in the world. They made our life that much more meaningful and completed. Without them we have no reason to live in this cold and selfish planet. So what's wrong that we do a little to glorify our women who saved us?
Just saying if we are all a bit more respectful or thoughtful or understanding our world would be a much better place. Waifu or not they are our guide and inspiration so we appreciate them, that's all.
I mean, I guess I can understand how an animated character can have a big effect on your life. When I was a little kid, I remember Sora from Digimon was a big deal for me, because that's the first character I remember really idolizing and seeing as a role-model. I guess Donatello too, because I wanted to be intelligent like he was, but anyway Sora pretty much was the reason I think my gender identity issues awoke. When me and my friends played Digimon, I always wanted to be her instead of Tai, so while everyone else wore goggles, I wore a bicycle helmet since it looked like her hat. I liked how she was strong, independent, and was embodied elements of both guys and girls since she was a tomboy...
But the thing is though, I'm not obsessed with the character. It was elements of the character, such as their personality, that appealed to me, not literally the character itself. It was just chance that it was that character in particular who did that, there were plenty of similar characters in other shows that would've likely made me realize my identification with the opposite gender was part of who I was. That's what bothers me about "waifu" folks, they literally seem to love the actual character, and that character specifically, to the point of obsession. I just don't think it's healthy, and you can say "it isn't hurting anyone", but yes, I do think it's hurting someone, I think it hurts the people who engage in this "waifu culture". I think they're closing themselves off from meeting people who truly care about them, and will actually help them develop as human beings. I don't think people who have a "waifu" actually were changed by them or saved, I just think they chose that character to obsess over because they already fit in their world view and doesn't challenge them to change or reevaluate their lifestyle.
